MMOs Really Aren't As Dead As People Think

OPINION

“MMOs are dead.”

This is a constant refrain seen on many sites, forums and threads dedicated to the genre. In fact, it’s something that floats around here on MMORPG.com some days by our readers, but it’s always been a phrase that has never quite seemed correct in my min

Do you remember what it was like taking part in the most expensive battle in EVE Online history?

The sheer fact that so many games tout "MMO features" is an indication that the need for the genre hasn't gone away. In fact, I'd argue that the genre is more prevalent than ever as a result. While games like Fortnite or PUBG really can't be called an MMO in the traditional sense, they do have MMO-esque features that define them: large communities of players at any given time, a shared experience among the community, events that define the game, and more. Survival games like ARK: Survival Evolved or Last Oasis consider themselves survival MMOs, and this moniker is a direct result of trying to share that headspace in players with the likes of a World of Warcraft or a Final Fantasy XIV. MMOs offer a unique shared experience that by instilling MMO features in a game, developers are hoping to create some of that.